


The Beta and The Fool

by The_Idonian



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Behind the Scenes, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-22 03:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 13,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11371563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Idonian/pseuds/The_Idonian
Summary: This is a series of pointless conversations between beta (Taylor Beth) and author (Idonian) when Sandstorm was in the making. It’s copied and pasted from our conversations on the chat in Google docs. Nonsense is common as well as a pun battle. This was only started after Sandstorm was well underway to be finished. There are puns.Consider this a sort of "behind the scenes" look into some of the makings of Sandstorm.





	1. In Which The Author Is True To Their Character

**Author's Note:**

> **Author:** Idonian-  
>  Fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/7050320/Idonian  
> Deviant Art: http://idonian.deviantart.com/  
> Archive of Our Own: http://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Idonian/pseuds/The_Idonian
> 
>  **Beta:** Taylor Beth-  
>  Fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8292273/TaylorBeth  
> Deviant Art: http://taylorbeth.deviantart.com/
> 
> \---------------------  
> There’s also mentions of The Legend of Scout (Taylor Beth’s work-in-progress story) in here, but at the author's request I have replaced any conversation of it with madlib provided by me. She doesn’t want any spoilers letting loose on a story that will eventually come out. If the story is released, she might be inclined to replace those insert texts with the actual words.
> 
> I also suggest you check out Madjesters1 (http://madjesters1.deviantart.com/) who is also mentioned in the conversation. Their works of art has inspired The Legend of Scout. 
> 
> SPOILER ALERTS! -Proceed at your own risk.

**Taylor Beth:** Yay, I was hoping to catch you online

**Idonian:** the chat thingy changed

o.o

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I noticed

at least it's bigger

and it doesn't cover comments

**Idonian:** it's too big

*growls at new thing*

XD

**Taylor Beth:** You're never happy *scrutinizes*

**Idonian:** *accurate*

I wish I could deny it

I do feel happy sometimes, but it's never permanent

**Taylor Beth:** Lol

**Idonian:** something that happens when you get old

how's it going

**Taylor Beth:** Revising Legend of Scout and wasting time- basically

**Idonian:** cool

just starting my phone call interlude

incidentally the real life on went ok, I think

**Taylor Beth:** No big changes, so you don't have to bother looking at it unless you want too

**Idonian:** I'll see if I can mosey on over later tonight

in between everything else I'm doing

applied for two jobs today, got rejected for another

**Taylor Beth:** If it's too much of a hassle, you don't have to look at it.

Ooh, bad luck

**Idonian:** nu ._.

I'll make time either today or tomorrow

**Taylor Beth:** *shrugs*

Hey, I need an opinion....

**Idonian:** Shoot

*headshot*

**Taylor Beth:** I've been thinking about this, and I think Miss Pauling’s and (>>duck noise<<)  love really shoots forwards when (>drawer shutting<)

**Idonian:** so do you think it's that they're closer having shared that intimacy

(>tape dispenser<)

(>coin drop<)

**Taylor Beth:** Hm, more like she (<scissor snip snipped>) because she loved him

**Idonian:** and he knows that?

wait hold on, at what age did they meet, respectively?

I've seen mixed messages from Madjester1

**Taylor Beth:** (>mooo<): 24, (>drum solo<): 35

**Idonian:** Ok, that's reasonable

**Taylor Beth:** When they travel (>by air horn<), they're 34 and 45

**Idonian:** I saw a thing where (>>>>>mad bass riff<<<<<)

so that's good

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I scratched that out

**Idonian:** understandably

so does he realize that she loves him because she (>splashed<) him

and it's some magic telepathic ability?

or does she say it

**Taylor Beth:** She had a crush on him, I guess, but she was too shy to come out with it

I've wrote about it in my planning doc

**Idonian:** well yes, but I figured that during the (>pencil sharpener scene<) there had to be something that changed

**Taylor Beth:** When she was near to losing hope of (>>sound someone makes when they lose a boot in the mud<<) she said "I love you" very softly and, basically, (>horse neigh<)

**Idonian:** or did he find out afterwards?

my god that's adorable

**Taylor Beth:** (>>>>evil laugh<<<<)

That's worded wrong, but you get it

**Idonian:** what's the mechanics you're leaning towards?

Do they share their (>sushi<), or (>fight with chopsticks<)

or are you not going into detail with that?

you can hand wave something like that pretty easily

**Taylor Beth:** Hold on, let me look up the "proper" description on (>forsythias<)

“(>>>>>>”The Philosopher Didactylos has summed up the alternative hypothesis as ‘things just happen. What the hell.’”<<<<<<).” -This is a quote from the person of the head cannon

That's why she was having so much trouble, because she never (>read Terry Pratchett<)

**Idonian:** and maybe more than a little emotionally unavailable

in that regard

she could probably (>smooth cha cha>) into (>the party<)/(>mad rave<) a heck of alot more than (>>alcoholic drink<<) bending

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah

**Idonian:** so do you think that RED leans more towards wooden floors?

I think BLU is more concrete

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, RED is more like an old fashioned barn than an actual base. Have no clue why that's like that

**Idonian:**  kinda like how every character has a unique character silhouette, voice, and idiosyncrasies

As well as colors

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I guess

**Idonian:** Makes sure that players can rapidly recognize where they are, and whether someone is a threat or not

BLU features colder, harder, more techno territories

and RED is warmer, more rustic

I just couldn't remember what kind of floor to expect of RED base proper :P

**Taylor Beth:** Lol, I know how Medic can get a red glow when he does the ubershield with water...

**Idonian:** in avatar?

**Taylor Beth:** yes

he (>blows bubbles with soap<) instead

**Idonian:** his (>medical practice includes hygiene<)?

**Taylor Beth:** Nah, (>he rubs dirt in<) from (>>>>soldier’s boots<<<<)

**Idonian:** ._.

**Taylor Beth:** What? That's exactly what Medic would do

**Idonian:** christ, man, what's so wrong with (>>>>>clear gel brain bleach<<<<<) for the (<rubber band theory>)?

**Taylor Beth** **:** If there isn't (>>an army of mantis men<<), how is he suppose to do (>>a mid air fly kick<<)?!

**Idonian:** I know, it's realistic

and totally in character

**Taylor Beth:** He's gotta make do with what he has on hand

**Idonian:** just dude. Hard core.

**Taylor Beth:** Compliment or not, I laughed XD

**Idonian:** Glad that someone appreciates my humor besides me XD

And that would totally freak the heck out of opponents

To watch this guy  draw (>>TAYLORBETA NOT TAYLORBETH<<)  and laugh at them

I'd probably break the sound barrier running to F-thatville

**Taylor Beth:** XD  Yeah, they're going to be stunned to say the least

**Idonian:** first, they will be stunned. And then, if they get hit in the face with ice, they'll REALLY be stunned

**Taylor Beth:** More like spiked

**Idonian:** well he might not be using a spike

it's amazing what kind of damage a chunk can do at high speed

and less lethal, if he needs them alive

spread the word of the self healing demon and all that jazz

**Taylor Beth:** Lol, at this point, not sure what Medic could do if he has invulnerability for eight seconds or so

**Idonian:** probably all kinds of scary stuff

I wonder if this is what got him disgraced

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, and the whole "insanity" or "disgusting" thoughts


	2. Behind The Scenes: The Writing of Khamsin

**Idonian:** heh

just had to ask my mum how a payphone worked

I love talking about medic's powers, but what was it you wanted to ask me  about Pauling’s (>> snazzy lightsaber<<)/(>death stick<)?

**Taylor Beth:** If it can be compatible with the story

**Idonian:** mmm

well the whole story is about (>happy fights to the death<) and the (>violent unicorns<)

but at least in canon, all sorts of stuff happens in the background

with the enemy, with separated people

as long as it doesn't become a main feature, I think it'll be fine :)

**Taylor Beth:** It won't

It'll just make him VERY (>chartreuse<) and (>cloudy<)

**Idonian:** that'd be funny.

**Taylor Beth:** "Get ahold of yourself, man" would be coming from his mind, right? Wouldn't it be better in italics?

**Idonian:** hm.

I've kind of been half and half on that

I've seen italics work

I've also seen places where they weren't used

Do you think that would look better?

**Taylor Beth:** Unless you want the audience to seem like they're telling him that

**Idonian:** I can see that

I think I've done a bit of both

but whenever you copy paste into archiveofourown it removes the italics and stuff

and you have to go back in and find them all

**Taylor Beth:** That's gotta suck...

**Idonian:**  yeah

it's a bit like the worst game of Where's Waldo ever

on the plus side, the chapters are only like 4-5 pages

**Taylor Beth:** Nothing like rereading your story to make sure everything's in order

**Idonian:** for the umpteenth time XD

**Taylor Beth:** XD

**Idonian:** I could be scrolling through, 'aw man... gotta fix that now'

Devil came Down has had a lot of edits

**Taylor Beth:** Hmm-hm, and I'm only chapter 2 of my story XD

**Idonian:** I mean like little word issues (which you're bloody amazing at catching in mine)

and missed italics

I just had to research answering machines to make sure he could leave a message after the beep

**Taylor Beth:** Because my head's like "Woah, stop, go back, re-read, is that right?"

**Idonian:** mhmm

I can do a decent job for other stuff

but in my own my brain just fills in the missing letters

so is sniper allowed to swear here?

"His father picked up. Damn."

or something stronger, I dunno

**Taylor Beth:** Depends, how well does he NOT like his father?

**Idonian:** he loves his father

just like his mother

**Taylor Beth:** Then damn's reasonable

**Idonian:** but you can love family and still not like them, I guess

or at least want to give them a good shaking

<the boyfriend> and I sometimes do that

in like an "oh my god I love you but you're a moron right now" kind of way

**Taylor Beth:** To hear someone always tell you "you're a disgrace" certainly leaves a sour taste in the mouth, and I get the feeling that his father is like that

**Idonian:** You have to be able to be friends with your significant other

Yeah. His parents hate his job

"I'm not a crazed gunman dad, I'm an assassin"

"Well, one's a job and the other is a mental sickness!"

**Taylor Beth:** How much is Sniper burdened at the moment? Like, emotional wise. Sometimes, that can help with how he talks and how you imagine him to talk

**Idonian:** certainly feels guilty

I'm trying to work out what themes I want to go on

and how to write them in such a way that we never hear what his dad says

**Taylor Beth:** Then he could say something like "Hey. hey dad," uncertainly? 

'cause sometimes people repeat how they say things when they're feeling something such as stress.

Yeah

he's reluctant maybe?

**Idonian:** yeah, that's going to be a theme

**Taylor Beth:** I can imagine his dad saying something like "Oh, yeah, "job"" in a scrutinizing way

**Idonian:**  yeah

something about innocent lives or something

hm

do I use 'give it a break'

or the slightly less polite 'shut your face'

I'll stick with the former to start

**Taylor Beth:** *cue the lecturing*

I'd have a feeling would try to be polite to his father. Like his motto, "be polite, be efficient"

**Idonian:** yeah

and at the end of the day, they're his parents

as you can probably tell, writing is painfully slow for me

**Taylor Beth:** Hey, I don't mind, I'm listening to music/ editing my own story while keeping an eye on yours

**Idonian:** no worries :)

**Taylor Beth:** It's called multitasking

**Idonian:** what is that magical thing?

**Taylor Beth:** Lol

Now, how in the bloody hell am I going to finish Medic's fight?.... *ponders* Lol

**Idonian:** hm

**Taylor Beth:** I was kidding, you don't have to put your two cents into that one

**Idonian:** ._.

well let's see

do you want medic to walk away from it?

how intact should everyone be, and where are they going after the fight?

**Taylor Beth:** Is he the kind of guy to just walk away from battle? I think not, lol

**Idonian:**  well yeah

but I mean what's the scene next?

it should reasonably flow into that one

**Taylor Beth:** Well, they make it out relatively unharmed. But, like I said, I was kidding. Adding to the joke.

**Idonian:** was that a pun?

bloody hell?

<\---head of the Slow on The Uptake squad

**Taylor Beth:** Too bad Sniper can't visit though. It'd make a nice safe house

**Idonian:** with his parents there? Heck no

there's no way he'd bring his co-workers within ten miles of his mum

you ever watch Courage the Cowardly Dog?

**Taylor Beth:** No

**Idonian:** Oh, what a shame

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I miss a lot of stuff, unfortunately

**Idonian:** well I think that his parents are based on Eustace and Muriel, the old folks who live on a farm in the middle of nowhere

it's an old show, but it used to be one of my favorites

freakin messed up and trippy in hindsight, like american horror story in cartoon form

I loved it

**Taylor Beth:** You know, I actually discovered TF2 because I wondered what the characters I always saw on SFM were.

**Idonian:** that's a good way in

I can't remember exactly how I got in

but I started really getting interested because of the art

**Taylor Beth:** I just had to hear "Scout" and ask "who was that?" before I looked him up

**Idonian:** Here's a good summary of what I'm referencing

The title character, the high-strung and inexplicably pink canine Courage, is the beloved pet of Eustace and Muriel Bagge, an elderly couple who live on a dusty old farm in the middle of Nowhere (literally; they live in Nowhere, Kansas). Well, he's the beloved pet of the sweet-hearted Muriel, anyway; the mean and crotchety Eustace thinks he's just a "stupid dog", and torments Courage whenever he thinks he can get away with it (and even when he knows he can't).   
In every episode, Courage and his family find themselves caught up in some form of supernatural weirdness, and Courage has to steel his frazzled nerves and save his owners from it.

**Taylor Beth:** Cute

**Idonian:** in any case, I definitely get that vibe from his parents

**Taylor Beth:** Why is his dad asking if he can visit anyway? That's what I'm getting here

**Idonian:**  because that's something parents do

if you're anywhere in the vicinity, your parents will expect you to visit dear old mum and dad

**Taylor Beth:** Even if his dad is disgraced of him?

**Idonian:** Even if your parents are disappointed in you

it's just one of those things

parents are like that

I dunno how to explain it

but he cares about them enough to constantly brave his father's insults and his mother's crying

**Taylor Beth:** You don't have too

**Idonian:** you don't, but think about how Sniper is

when he's fired, he goes home

he obviously has something to prove to them

and tries to be a good son that visits

good boys are expected to take after their dad and take care of their mum

and he's not

that kind of thing weighs on him

so he tries to make up for that by calling

**Taylor Beth:** No wonder, he isn't exactly Australian if he's trying to take after his "father"

**Idonian:** he lacks the brawn of most australians, so he had to go in for a job that emphasized force from a long distance away

something effective, that let him weaponize math

does that make sense?

**Taylor Beth:** sorry, I was AFK

**Idonian:** no worries

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, it does

**Idonian:** sweet

I'm getting a deja vu feeling

weird

**Taylor Beth:** How come?

**Idonian:** it's like, I get a snapshot of memory. Hearing a particular song, talking with a particular person, thinking particular thoughts

And I forget about it until it happens and then it's a weird deja vu

Did it happen before, or did I dream about it?

**Taylor Beth:** what's your deja vu?

**Idonian:** I guess what I'm saying is that I'm weird

**Taylor Beth:** You're not alone....

**Idonian:** listening to this particular song, writing, and looking over at the chat

I figured, it was just freaky XD

**Taylor Beth:** Like I said, you're not alone

**Idonian:** Gotta run, be back in like half an hour

_ Idonian has left. _


	3. Words Are Kinda Like Bricks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is still part of the conversation when I was writing Sniper's half of Khamsin, but I needed to break it up into readable chunks on the offhand chance anyone reads this.

_Idonian has opened the document._

**Idonian:** food :D

 **Taylor Beth:** Lol

 **Idonian:** I think I'm having internet issues

hm.

there we go

 **Taylor Beth:**   
I haven't, but, then I haven't left the doc either

 **Idonian:** I reloaded and stuff, but youtube died and all that

 **Taylor Beth:** what are you listening to anyway? Just curious

 **Idonian:** <Come Out and Play, by the Offspring>

._.

perfect for family chats

right?

it's about gang violence and recruiting kids

 **Taylor Beth:** Nice beat

 **Idonian:** yeah

heard it on the radio a while ago

 **Taylor Beth:** Currently listening to "Can't be Erased", but may switch over to a song of Aviator's

Yeah, me too, it sounds familiar

 **Idonian:** I seriously went on an aviator binge earlier today

got the beloved to listen to Remains

 **Taylor Beth:** Have you told your bf about him yet?

okay, answers my question :b

 **Idonian:** he likes fallout

 **Taylor Beth:** How did he like the song?

 **Idonian:** as I'm sure most males of a certain age do

he loved it

 **Taylor Beth:** There's several fallout songs of his you need to show him

 **Idonian:** yeah, I showed him welcome to paradise

but he's a busy guy so I figured I'd throw them at him a few at a time

 **Taylor Beth:** Currently listening to Apocalypse State of Mind

 **Idonian:** good song :)

 **Taylor Beth:** the guitar reminds me of Engineer somewhat

 **Idonian:** hm, I wonder if I still have this kicking around

but there's an apocalypse tf2 art set

and engie uses music resonances to make power

like a generator

 **Taylor Beth:** idk

 **Idonian:** lemme take a look

Have you ever seen this one?[ liquidsilk.deviantart   /art/Engie-Spice-206159770 ](http://liquidsilk.deviantart.com/art/Engie-Spice-206159770)

**Taylor Beth:**........ *dies of laughing*

 **Idonian:** uhuh

GOT IT :D

[ Py-bun.deviantart   /art/Doomsday-Fortress-Engineer-340169409 ](http://py-bun.deviantart.com/art/Doomsday-Fortress-Engineer-340169409)

**Taylor Beth:** It's cool, I'll say that

 **Idonian:** there's a couple others, like scout, medic, spy, demo, sniper

[ Py-bun.deviantart   /art/Doomsday-Fortress-Medic-340011044 ](http://py-bun.deviantart.com/art/Doomsday-Fortress-Medic-340011044)

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I'm seeing them in the suggestions

 **Idonian:** Medic's a heartbreaker

So I think I'm going to have Sniper’s accent get a little thicker, but not this bad: [ liquidsilk.deviantart   /art/Shaggy-dog-story-208039573 ](http://liquidsilk.deviantart.com/art/Shaggy-dog-story-208039573)

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, you're right

You definitely should do a story about Doomsday

 **Idonian:** I dunno about doomsday

it's a situation; it just is

I'd have to make a plot

 **Taylor Beth:** Eh, just a suggestion

 **Idonian:** In any case, the link I just sent was a good example of Extreme Strine XD

 **Taylor Beth:** Yeah, load of rubbish

 **Idonian:** the kicker is that PYRO couldn't understand it

 **Taylor Beth:** Yeah

Doomsday is definitely more morbid, definitely won't fit my style of "light comedy"

 **Idonian:** yeah, your style is pretty funny

gets a good laugh outta me

 **Taylor Beth:** It's mostly well placed puns and burns

 **Idonian:** hm.

but that's funny!

I can't do easy humor to save my life

 **Taylor Beth:** Maybe I'm just that light hearted...

 **Idonian:** or maybe my brain is broken XD

I've never found conversation easy

you can see here; it's like building a brick wall

 **Taylor Beth:** Yeah, brick by brick... slowly

 **Idonian:** mhmm

I've been writing this one section for like, two hours

 **Taylor Beth:** And I've been watching for two hours

 **Idonian:** Heavens knows why XD

 **Taylor Beth:** But I have no argument, good stories take time to write- even when they look like they shouldn't

 **Idonian:** I'm amazed you aren't bored yet

 **Taylor Beth:** *shrugs* I'm doing other stuff too

But I'm mostly goofing off with you

 **Idonian:** ah yes, the elusive "multitasking"

XD

 **Taylor Beth:** *laughs uncontrollably*

I guess that's my, as you say, strength

 **Idonian:** hm, quite. *puts on monocle* and tell me, how long have you had this ability?

 **Taylor Beth:** Don't really know myself

 **Idonian:** *writes on clipboard* interesting. And you can focus on multiple activities at the same time? Amazing!

 **Taylor Beth:** Eh, sometimes it feels like I can't at all

 **Idonian:** in all seriousness, I'm impressed that you can, because I can't

 **Taylor Beth:** found something cute

 **Idonian:** oooh

 **Taylor Beth:** I think you'll like it [ camiluna27.deviantart   art/Spy-Is-My-fan-art-673151277 ](http://camiluna27.deviantart.com/art/Spy-Is-My-fan-art-673151277)

**Idonian:** YES ;D

:D

 **Taylor Beth:** the person writes a fairly good zombie/TF2 fic too

I hate zombies, so I only glance at it from time to time so I don't have unnecessary nightmares.

 **Idonian:** I can't think about zombies ever since the good ol' CatBountry's Respawn of The Dead

amazing writer, horrifying nightmare fuel

RoTD had some insane MedicxHeavy, but some really sad, painful scenes as well

well written

 **Taylor Beth:** I think I read it. Was it where almost half of the team died? Except for Demo, Medic, Engineer, Scout, and Sniper?

 **Idonian:** yeah

and Medic making something beautiful of his pain, through music

 **Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I only skipped to the end

 **Idonian:** and soldier turned out alright in the end

well I mean he redeemed himself

but yeah, totally messed with my head

can't stand zombies

 **Taylor Beth:** And Heavy sacrificed himself, if I remember correctly?

 **Idonian:** Here's one for ya by CatBountry

[ Dotchan   /with-apologies-to-stephen-king/#more-1999 ](http://dotchan.com/with-apologies-to-stephen-king/#more-1999)

unnecessarily, yes

So, have you ever heard of Misery?

 **Taylor Beth:** So many tabs... alright...

 **Idonian:** by Steven King

 **Taylor Beth:** no I haven't

 **Idonian:** nah, save it away for later

it's a love letter to his fans, in a way

In it, an author gets in a car accident and saved by his biggest fan

who turns out to be a psychopath who was upset that he killed off her favorite character

and holds him captive to fix it

in it, she cuts off his foot and cauterizes it with a blowtorch (this is King we're talking; gruesome)

For the movie, she hits it with a sledgehammer

He eventually escapes

 **Taylor Beth:** I'm... not that comfortable with Steven King, at all

 **Idonian:** In any case, that link I sent was created when CatBountry read a fic where Sniper was magically transported to her universe and they did all sorts of fun things

Creeped her out with how subservient Sniper was

and so she wrote a fic turning it into a parody of Misery

In the end he escapes back to his world, she follows him, and he kills her in self defense

 **Taylor Beth:** Yeah, read the end, and I really don't want to read it...

 **Idonian:** No worries .-.

You don't have to; that's the beauty of stories

You find the ones you like

 **Taylor Beth:** I'm okay with writing blood, but not THAT much blood

 **Idonian:** or write the ones that need to be written

like you're doing with Avatar ^-^

 **Taylor Beth:** I kind of think that (>my horseradish recipe<) wasn't described quite enough...

 **Idonian:** it did happen rather quickly

I did like the touch of the (>fuzzy cat paw<)

 **Taylor Beth:** It was given to Scout originally, if the picture gave any indication

 **Idonian:** but this way is a lot more heartbreaking

 **Taylor Beth:** I had more movement because Madj didn't write the whole part of it, just his ( > **Idonian is the best** <) dying

 **Idonian:** that gives you wiggle room, yeah

and don't be too afraid to stray from what they wrote

just mention in the notes that they went this way, but you wanted to go the other way

 **Taylor Beth:** Anyway, we are straying from the subject... uh... what was the subject anyway?

 **Idonian:** I can't remember

long time ago it was (>taylorbeta secretly has wings<) and pauling

 **Taylor Beth:** Me neither XD

 **Idonian:** but that was hours ago

 **Taylor Beth:** Then we were talking about songs, pictures, and then zombies...

 **Idonian:** I've been told I have ADOS

Attention Deffici- Oooh Shiny!

 **Taylor Beth:** And that's why it's taking so long to finish the chapter

 **Idonian:** absolutely

this is normal

it took me two years to write 50 pages

and I've written more since I've met you

than at any other time

wait... one year

not two

 **Taylor Beth:** Hm, interesting

*rubs chin inquiringly* Why?

 **Idonian:** why it takes me so long?

I had it on the back burner for a whole semester really, because physics was so bad

 **Taylor Beth:** No, why are you writing faster since you met me?

 **Idonian:** Because now someone is taking an interest

I haven't had a beta for ages

I don't want to lose another

 **Taylor Beth:** Likely, I won't leave unless I die, or I'm on vacation and can't get to an internet source

 **Idonian:** Like I always tell my mum, I could get nailed in the crosswalk tomorrow

But thanks :)

I'm GOING  to finish it

 **Taylor Beth:** You better

 **Idonian:** I can see the light at the end

 **Taylor Beth:** I'd hate for an awesome story like this to be thrown into the trash

 **Idonian:** here's to hopin it's not a train

I'm not giving up, having gone this far.

 **Taylor Beth:** Even planning my story, I've firmly decided I was going to finish it. Even if I'm in the pits of despair

 **Idonian:** A good way of doing that is knowing how it ends

that's how my old stories used to die; not knowing the ending

 **Taylor Beth:** Hey, congrats, halfway through the chapter

 **Idonian:** XD

hey, writing one whole page in one sitting is a huge achievement for me


	4. SPACE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last part of the conversation during the writing of Khamsin

**Taylor Beth:** Me too *nods* okay, time for a change of song...

**Idonian:** oh I see XD

**Taylor Beth:** Oblivion sounds like a good one... or Psychoactive...

**Idonian:** oblivion's decent

kinda reminds me of 90s music

**Taylor Beth:** Or Constellations...

Decided, Psychoactive

**Idonian:** do you listen to things on loop?

**Taylor Beth:** yes, I listened to Apocalyptic State of Mind for an hour then Remains for half an hour while we were talking

**Idonian:** o_o

I can't do that

I'd go crazy

**Taylor Beth:** When you do it everyday, you get used to it

Drives my parents crazy though

**Idonian:** I'd end up hating the song

**Taylor Beth:** That's why I'm so special :D  Heck, I listened to one of JT's raps for an hour without backing down

**Idonian:** special kind of crazy XD

or stubborn

**Taylor Beth:** Usually, I just listen to it as background, I don't even pay attention to it until I decide that enough is enough

**Idonian:** heh

**Taylor Beth:** If I really need inspiration, it comes in handy

wouldn't damnit be dammit?

**Idonian:** yeah

it's a matter of accent

**Taylor Beth:** Ah

I think "Smissmas" would be more appropriate

Or however you call it

**Idonian:** oh yeah

forgot

**Taylor Beth:** Hurtful... I like it

**Idonian:** No regrets :D

**Taylor Beth:** As I don't have mine (regrets)

**Idonian:** Sniper is such an easy character to hurt

**Taylor Beth:** Because he is hurting

**Idonian:** I was going to say something along the lines of "because we know what he cares about"

but that's a heck of alot more profound

**Taylor Beth:** Rereading over our chat, I sort of think we should do a little story over it, lol

**Idonian:** abouts?

**Taylor Beth:** Just the chat, it's funny

**Idonian:** the wild ramblings of a crazy, cynical college graduate and a sane high schooler

**Taylor Beth:** Who says I'm sane?

**Idonian:** sanity is relative

and I guarantee that you're less scatterbrained

**Taylor Beth:** The part with the monocle stills makes me laugh, XD

**Idonian:** I had to watch a documentary detailing the mission to Saturn's moon, Titan, for a class

and the scientists and engineers were british

And they were so insanely British

I thought it was a stereotype

It's not.

I kid you not, one of them had a monocle

**Taylor Beth:** XD, old fashioned much?

**Idonian:** yeah

I mean, it takes 14 years for something to get out that far

you have to be a doctor in order to get on projects like that

**Taylor Beth:** I guess some stuff dies hard

**Idonian:** or a cheaply paid graduate student

so a lot of them were old by the time it got there

the teacher's sister worked at NASA on the cassini mission

and right now they're having it fly through the rings of Saturn

pretty cool stuff

**Taylor Beth:** I bet

**Idonian:** She came in and told us all sorts of stuff about the moon

it's like the only moon to have a decent atmosphere

**Taylor Beth:** Did you sleep through it?

**Idonian:** and it's so cold that instead of a water cycle, it rains liquid methane

heck no

  1. I'm payin for this class
  2. it's space
  3. how many places have we got with weather in our solar system? Not many



**Taylor Beth:** Fair enough

**Idonian:** I'm like 27k in the hole, college wise

**Taylor Beth:** Now, back to sanity... If I was insane, how would I have built a world around TF2 characters that are just as insane?

**Idonian:** hm. I'm guessing that you're saner than them

unless you've got a box of severed heads I didn't know about

**Taylor Beth:** Okay... that made me laugh

Maybe...

**Idonian:** On that topic, does soldier even have a blade?

he's got an e-tool, but that's more for blunt force or hacking and ripping

**Taylor Beth:** I don't know... maybe an army knife

**Idonian:** those heads were cut neatly

maybe he talked with demo

**Taylor Beth:** Could be, they are friends

**Idonian:** were

**Taylor Beth:** I'm not talking about RED and BLU

**Idonian:** at least on opposite teams

I'm not sure about on the same team

are they?

I know solly and pyro don't get along

**Taylor Beth:** In the comics, they act as good friends

**Idonian:** that's good

ok, then he probably hooked up a deal with demo

and the eyelander

**Taylor Beth:** But that's what I've seen, they could be just friendly to each other for the sake of everyone else

**Idonian:** soldier? the guy who could yell the paint off metal?

**Taylor Beth:** And in the circumstance, they couldn't afford to start fighting

**Idonian:** again

Solly isn't the kind of guy to back down

and neither is demo

so I think that after beating each other up for a while

they'd probably start to get along

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, the whole "Fight first, make friends later" sounds just like them

**Idonian:** mhmm XD

**Taylor Beth:** So does Sniper and Spy, though they are more.. hm, what's the word

**Idonian:** asshole friends

**Taylor Beth:** they respect each other, I guess

yet they are rivals

**Idonian:** they respect each other as solitary professionals

and they'll help each other when the chips are down

but they hate the opposite number so much

that they can't help but jab at each other

they'll have a kind of insult banter, like an abusive friendship of sorts

at least until the chips are down

**Taylor Beth:** Like the car chase?

**Idonian:** yeah

it's like they're cats

they pretend they don't like each other XD

this whole story came out of a photo and a song

**Taylor Beth:** Have you listened to the song Starless Night?

**Idonian:** lemme see

antvenom?

  1. been ages since I've heard of antvenom.



**Taylor Beth:** My book was sort of built around that as well as other songs

**Idonian:** it's good to know that he's still at it

nice guy 

so what'cha think?

**Taylor Beth:** Nice

**Idonian:** I think it'll do

**Taylor Beth:** Ended on a bittersweet note

**Idonian:** I'm pretty burnt by now

yeah

**Taylor Beth:** I'm not, so I'll keep working

**Idonian:** fast forward to down below, where he's making sure the job goes right

heh

well you're an hour behind me

and I've been staring at the screen for hours before you showed up, applying for jobs

**Taylor Beth:** I've been staring at a screen between comics books, my story, and yours, and my eyes aren't even burnt

not to mention Youtube

**Idonian:** I think I'm boiling my eyeballs or something

it's been like that for a year or two

**Taylor Beth:** I'll go over the chapter again once you're done with the little edits

**Idonian:** sure thing

I think I'm going to head out soon, unless you want me sticking around while you take a look at it

**Taylor Beth:** Nah, any mistakes I find I'll leave a comment on. No need for you to burn out completely when you don't need too

**Idonian:** alright, thanks

**Taylor Beth:** It was a nice chat though

**Idonian:** absolutely :D

**Taylor Beth:** Pretty sure I wasted your time through most of it though XD

**Idonian:** nah

it was funny

**Taylor Beth:** Like I said, we should make a short story on our chat alone

**Idonian:** it'd be messy

**Taylor Beth:** But that'd be the fun of it

**Idonian:** feel free to snag it and save it for posterity XD

**Taylor Beth:** you first XD

**Idonian:** nose goes

**Taylor Beth:** Writer in charge

**Idonian:** on a more serious note, what do you think of the dichotomy between his chat with dad and mum?

**Taylor Beth:** As in?

**Idonian:** like the way he talks to them

he's a lot more gentle with her

**Taylor Beth:** If you think it'll make the story more...  _ more _ , then sure

**Idonian:** I'm making a lot of guesses from the photo

his dad seems accusatory and grouchy

and Sniper very much a mama's boy

**Taylor Beth:** does the photo have a link?

**Idonian:** so I figured that she'd be soft spoken and gentle

it’s in the comics

Meet the Director

**Taylor Beth:** Ah

**Idonian:** here's another (>technical difficulties<)

dangit:  ful-fisk.deviantart  /art/Rad-mothers-453970604 

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I'd imagine their personalities like that

**Idonian:** she seems like a sweet old lady

gotta run

**Taylor Beth:** Looks can be deceiving, but I agree

okay, bye

**Idonian:** just copied it over

bye :D

_ Idonian has left. _


	5. Puns

**Taylor Beth:** Apparently I need a degree because I forget all of that Algebra stuff, XD 

**Idonian:** I gots one :D

**Taylor Beth:** *curses*

**Idonian:** hey, it took four years of beating my brains out for it

**Taylor Beth:** I'm glad you aren't dead yet, call the Medic

**Idonian:** nu nu nu

he will put another one in

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, that'd make it worse XD

**Idonian:** maybe I'd be more organized

**Taylor Beth:** Organs or neatness?

**Idonian:** ._.

god damn I walked into that one

**Taylor Beth:** Caught ya

You should use that one

Laughing so hard...

God I love my puns XD

*later*

 

**Taylor Beth:** Too bad, I wanted to make more puns XD

**Idonian:** make a list and slaughter me some other time

**Taylor Beth:** You'll definitely get the blunt of it

**Idonian:** I think we'll be able to hit it off

**Taylor Beth:** like you said "to the point"

**Idonian:** on a side note, whenever I say one and (>the boyfriend<) says one and I reply he stops and says "No! We're not doing this now!"

XD

I think I'll steel a few points for myself

**Taylor Beth:** God, that's a heart stabber

You should let John hold a conversation with me, we'll definitely keep it sharp

and interesting

**Idonian:** ain't that the bloody truth

**Taylor Beth:** Jawohl!

**Idonian:** he'd be able to go off in the same vein

I cell you that much

**Taylor Beth:** Please, a bargain is only as good as its entrails

I'm killing myself over here!

XD

**Idonian:** don't worry, I will certainly de-liver

**Taylor Beth:** Oktoberfest to that

I'll cut and dry

**Idonian:** it's only kiddin-y

**Taylor Beth:** Hurting

**Idonian:** >:D

**Taylor Beth:** But let's get to the point, freund

the healing is not a rewarding as the hurting

**Idonian:** can you feel the schadenfreude?

**Taylor Beth:** Certainly, it's as sweet as sweat and pure as blood. If it weren't for my sane self, you'll definitely be disemboweled

**Idonian:** in any case, it was good talking with you

I'm more useful than that surely

**Taylor Beth:** *shrugs* As I have said, the healing is not as rewarding as the hurting, not by a long shot

**Idonian:** ouchies there

**Taylor Beth:** Hm, sweet

Ah, Medic puns, gotta love em. How many points is that now?

**Idonian:** more and more keep coming chin

**Taylor Beth:** I see, hm, must make a tally. For the sharper end is the most deadly

**Idonian:** that's quite a few slashes

**Taylor Beth:** Call the Medic, he will most certainly enjoy this battle

**Idonian:** I dunno if german had puns in it

**Taylor Beth:** I'm cracking up, are you?

**Idonian:** I'm happy, which is the same thing

 

**Idonian:** sup

I'll be back in like 30

**Taylor Beth:** kk

_ Idonian has left. _


	6. In Which This Document Got Invented

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Backstory to this: I had just posted the first four chapters of Sandstorm

_ Idonian has opened the document. _

**Idonian:** boop

**Taylor Beth:** hey

**Idonian:** how's it going

**Taylor Beth:** good

**Idonian:** all's quiet so far

I'm struggling between posting quickly and keeping the story at the top of the upload lists

**Taylor Beth:** too quiet for my taste

**Idonian:** no comments so far

stuck up the first four

**Taylor Beth:** You should have waited until all of the editing was done

**Idonian:**  but you probably saw that

I could have

I debated on that

but I was writing up the author's notes while I was editing and decided that since they were done, I'd post them

**Taylor Beth:** You have to give people a chance to find it and read it- it's only been out for a day at least

**Idonian:** in the past I've just posted it all at once

but it's like 24 chapters

so what we'll do is edit and draft author's notes, then dole out the rest in pieces

**Taylor Beth:** I have a request if you choose to fulfill it

**Idonian:** I hope that the thank you I put in there for you was good enough

shoot

**Taylor Beth:** Remember those funny notes I saved?

Could you post them at the end of the story?

**Idonian:** conversations with no point?

hm, there's like 30 pages of material there

**Taylor Beth:** not really, I haven't saved much

And I'll edit and shorten it if need be

**Idonian:** how much?

like, word count

**Taylor Beth:** lemme check

and it don't have to be all on one chapter, you can stretch it to multiple chapters too

**Idonian:** what I'm thinking is this

we make it a series, eps on archive

and Sandstorm is one story in the series

and 'the beta and the fool' or something is right next to it

chapters for days

**Taylor Beth:** 6180 words

but that's before editing

**Idonian:** do you think that suggestion would work

that way they're lumped together, but not in the same story

**Taylor Beth:** sure

who's posting? I guess you 'cause I don't have an archive account yet

**Idonian:** if you get an account, there's an option to 'copost'

like one person puts it up, but they also put the other authors on it too

**Taylor Beth:** I'm still debating on whether or not I should make an account

**Idonian:** all your choice

I just sent you my strine dictionary

since I kept forgetting

**Taylor Beth:** got it

**Idonian:** sweet

**Taylor Beth:** do you want me to invite you to the "The Beta and the Fool" doc?

**Idonian:** in any case, I will certainly post the conversations once we change the names a bit

we can use that as a working title, sure XD

**Taylor Beth:** you suggested it

**Idonian:** I figured it'd be funny

:P

**Taylor Beth:** it is

though I don't know who's more of a fool, you or me? XD

**Idonian:** well the beta part is quite obvious XD

how about we post those after the main story goes up, like a side note?

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, people don't have to see it- it's just a funny note of the good times we had while editing

**Idonian:** that was funny

my brain does all sorts of things when it's tired

**Taylor Beth:** mine too

those puns...

**Idonian:** today your cursor is a lovely blue

XD

**Taylor Beth:** yours too

**Idonian:** :D

**Taylor Beth:** just a random time doc decides to change the profile color

**Idonian:** yeah

but it's usually pink

I'll take a look at your doc tonight

**Taylor Beth:** finished the intro

finally

**Idonian:** yeah, it's a good start

**Taylor Beth:** were you tortured when you read it or was it okay? Not counting the tons of suggestions and comments

**Idonian:** tortured? no

I've read stories where I was tortured, and that wasn't it

your plot was sound, and the pacing was much better since you spread everything out

**Taylor Beth:** you just quietly bore through it

**Idonian:** I was changing phrases here and there, if I could see a problem with flow or such

or repetition

repetition is a big one

Were the suggestions too much?

**Taylor Beth:** nah

there was one that I was like... "That doesn't make sense at all", but mom helped me fix it

**Idonian:** that's good

I'm still a little unsure about the Saxton part, but haven't figured out a solution yet

it's like...

hm

**Taylor Beth:** like it just doesn't fit?

**Idonian:** feels a little cartoon like or disjointed I guess

lemme take a look

I really like the voicelines

but the descriptions are a bit off.

**Taylor Beth:** uh huh

**Idonian:** does that make sense?

**Taylor Beth:** in the intro or the Saxton intro?

**Idonian:** saxton's

his (>she’s like one of those harpies, except not evil. I wonder if they’re like dove feathers.<)

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, I'm working on that

**Idonian:** I know

it's something that's been at the back of my mind for a bit

figured you were moving onto there next

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, baby steps- slow baby steps

**Idonian:**  mhm

**Taylor Beth:** like the intro, I have to pick at what I want in there and spread it out

I'm sure you saw the monstrosity of notes underneath the intro

**Idonian:** yeah :P

**Taylor Beth:** I'm totally brain fried... but... I FINISHED SCHOOL

**Idonian:** that's great :D

**Taylor Beth:** now maybe I can make some meaningful progress

**Idonian:** I got a song for ya

(> [Undertale/Crusher-P] ECHO - Epic Orchestral/Vocal Duet Remix: Sully Orchestra<) 

I like it better than the animation because I can actually understand the lyrics

**Taylor Beth:** I like the string instruments, this is good relax music

**Idonian:** I like this composer

they've got all sorts of good stuff

this is the straight instrumental

**Taylor Beth:** The singer has a good set of pipes on her

**Idonian:** (> [Undertale/Crusher-P] ECHO - Epic Orchestral Remix (Instrumental) <) 

good duet

is it sad that I can do that?

It's been ages since I've been on a choir

she's got some nice vibrato

**Taylor Beth:** At least you've been in choir, I'm too shy to sing anything around people

**Idonian:** the great thing about chorus is that no one can hear you unless you do a solo

I'm too shy for solos

but I'll belt out a mezzo soprano any day

nowadays, probably alto :/

my voice has gone down a lot

**Taylor Beth:** eh, I have a decent voice, but I'm mostly flat against someone else singing

I don't have enough "feeling" in singing

**Idonian:** with practice, you can raise your pitch that half or quarter step

I'm flat too

you don't have to feel, you just have to 'hear' the pitches and do it

anyone who tells you that you have to have some magical passion is full of it

all you have to have is the desire to sing

**Taylor Beth:** I dream about actually singing a song during a talent show in my school- but when the opportunity arrives I'm like "yeah, I'm not doing that"

**Idonian:** start out in the choir

it's easier

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, but it collides with band- I don't have time to do choir and band

**Idonian:** that sucks

out of the two, stick with band

**Taylor Beth:** I am

**Idonian:** it's more fun, and you aren't singing religious songs for the umpteenth time

**Taylor Beth:** or going onto impossible high notes that could make you lose your voice the next day

**Idonian:** and the favoritism isn't as noticeable in band

never had that happen to me

but I have sang so much that I didn't want to talk the rest of the day

**Taylor Beth:** and don't worry about giving enough credit to the betas, an author can only do so much with words

**Idonian:** was it alright?

**Taylor Beth:** yeah

**Idonian:** ok

that's good

**Taylor Beth:** but you might to throw in there that my Scout is one of a kind when you reach chapter 19 through 23

**Idonian:** mhm

there will be a notice that, since my own scout is pretty shoddy, much of scout's lines are inspired by you

**Taylor Beth:** are you keeping "An Interlude in Purple" as a behind the scene or something?

**Idonian:** I kept it in the doc because I really liked it

**Taylor Beth:** I don't blame you

**Idonian:** it won't be in posted, since we already have A Bit of A Dry Argument

which is quite similar

maybe I'll put it in The Beta and the Fool

**Taylor Beth:** I've sent it to you, btw

**Idonian:** ok cool

there's a story out there in the Undertale fandom

called Flowey Is Not A Good Life Coach

and it's an insane and messed up story

bamf ending, but still insane trauma wise

and it has an accompanying fic

called Party favors

got little snippets in the story

in any case, I figure that's kinda what ours can be

snippets that don't quite fit in the story

**Taylor Beth:** as well as jokes XD

**Idonian:** yeah

**Taylor Beth:** my puns are still priceless

**Idonian:** keeping those for posterity

**Taylor Beth:** I still have that "organized" pun

**Idonian:** *holds up hands in spock formation* go forth and prosper

is that right?

and I can't believe how badly I walked into that one pun.

**Taylor Beth:** it was my greatest moment ever

**Idonian:** I'm so used to outline format that I have to physically quell the urge to write ** around actions

**Taylor Beth:** lol

capitalize "he"

**Idonian:** really?

when it's a period to an end of a sentence it becomes a comma

does the presence of a question mark mean that 'he' gets capitalized?

**Taylor Beth:** it's the end of the sentence, so yes, it has to be capitalized

**Idonian:** well the first four chapters are staying as is

it's a pain fixing things in fanfiction

**Taylor Beth:** ain't that the truth

**Idonian:** that's why I like archive

much more user friendly

**Taylor Beth:** except for the italics issue

**Idonian:** that actually got fixed

**Taylor Beth:** ah

**Idonian:** sometime in the last year since I posted

I was pleasantly surprised yesterday

**Taylor Beth:** lol

**Idonian:** but that's supplanted by the html ClusterF over on deviantart

for every paragraph start and end of Not Quite Hollywood I had to change <p> and </p> to <span> and </span>

because I copy paste the html from archive

since writing out all that html is a pain

and <p> makes spaces huge

compare between The Devil and Sandstorm there

pain in the neck


	7. In Which Taylorbeta Is Invented

**Taylor Beth:** actually, I've got a trick

you don't need to open anything, I just need to adjust my screen

**Idonian:** ok

**Taylor Beth:** fixed

**Idonian:** cool beans

**Taylor Beth:** lol, my mom says that

**Idonian:** my friend's mum says that

cool, scary lady

**Taylor Beth:** lol, ALL mom's say that

**Idonian:** mine doesn't

mine's proper english

**Taylor Beth:** of course

**Idonian:** lots of people thought I was a prude in high school

**Taylor Beth:** welcome to team misfit

**Idonian:** hah

I've been picked on my whole life

you learn how to keep your side of the street clean and all sorts of little things that make people who make fun of you look bad

**Taylor Beth:** that's why I don't talk much

other than I'm shy

**Idonian:** it's a knack to learn

but learning how to talk in such a way that

you don't give up dirt or anything

it's a good skill

Like, whatever you say always sounds sincere and towards the benefit of others, or act/speak in a way that can't be construed as nasty

like mental chess

**Taylor Beth:** people see me as "innocent", but I've seen and heard some stuff that I'd rather not speak a word of at all

**Idonian:** and people will do that

don't let it rent too much space in your head

don't take the poison and wait for them to die

**Taylor Beth:** got a song, don't know if you have heard it yet: (> Twin Skeletons (Hotel in NYC) - Fall Out Boy (Lyrics) <)

**Idonian:** I haven't

oh god fall out boy

**Taylor Beth:** lol

**Idonian:** do you know how long it took me to get phoenix out of my head?

dishonor upon your cow

**Taylor Beth:** now that you mention it... no

**Idonian:** months

**Taylor Beth:** lol

**Idonian:** and sometimes I can be just innocently doing something and it'll sneak in like an unwanted cat

I was mopping the room the other week

**Taylor Beth:** I hate that- btw, I'm laughing my ass off on my end

**Idonian:** and the Pokemon theme song popped into my head

**Taylor Beth:** the song is catchy

**Idonian:** it's been YEARS

**Taylor Beth:** some things never die

**Idonian:** yeah

my friends are still into it

**Taylor Beth:** I'm still into it- though, not as much ever since Sun and Moon came out

**Idonian:** I was never really too big into it beyond the cards, back when I was twelve

but my friends love it

**Taylor Beth:** got another Fall Out Boy song, prepare yourself: (> Novocaine - Fall Out Boy (Lyrics)<)

**Idonian:** so I'm familiar with it

**Taylor Beth:** XY and XYZ anime was THE BEST out of all of it

**Idonian:** I did like the anime a lot

the mew two one was great

but I have to say I liked the lucario one the best

I mean, the movies they used to show on cartoon network

**Taylor Beth:** Volcanion is a good one- it came out last year

I made a fanfiction combining HTTYD and Pokemon together

it's not that great and it's unfinished

**Idonian:** the thing about old stories is that they always seem bad

but you love them while you're making them

maybe someday I'll cringe at Sandstorm

but not today

**Taylor Beth:** lol

You shouldn't cringe too bad- I haven't cringed so far

**Idonian:** well you haven't spent 18 months of your life on it XD

**Taylor Beth:** I thought it was 17 months

**Idonian:** well the doc started in january

**Taylor Beth:** And, for the record, I DID help with planning out a couple of chapters

**Idonian:** but I figured that I had it mulling in my head all december

you did, but I hauled through all 24 XD

**Taylor Beth:** you are the writer- I'm just a beta

**Idonian:** mhm

**Taylor Beth:** hm... I wonder how many people are going to ask me to beta their work now?

**Idonian:** I dunno XD

**Taylor Beth:** Eh, it's a question I'll worry about in the future

**Idonian:** I plan on occasionally mentioning spots you really shined in

**Taylor Beth:** Like the Scout and Medic argument? XD

**Idonian:** I've only formally once been asked to beta something

and that was awful

I once got asked to write something for someone too

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, you told me about that.

I'm just writing Madj's story on my own influence- I've never been asked to beta or write something of another author

until now

though, I offered my assistance to help you edit

**Idonian:** and I offer it in return

oh hey, someone just reviewed chapter 4

they liked the research

**Taylor Beth:** which site?

**Idonian:** fanfiction

you may want to go and read the chapter notes I stick in, some are funny

or at the very least indicative of my OCD desire for a watertight plot

**Taylor Beth:** I will when I get the chance

**Idonian:** no worries XD

I just have fun writing them

there's a reason why I leave notes everywhere

**Taylor Beth:** you know, this story would be very different from what it is now if I hadn't got the chance to edit

I like that

**Idonian:** yeah

for one thing, there wouldn't have been a hover chase scene

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, that was the best

**Idonian:** it took me ages to hash out the second arc

**Taylor Beth:** And there's also the Medic moments

**Idonian:** yes

**Taylor Beth:** and Scout moments

**Idonian:** I am very proud of "Vhat did I say about holding onto somezhing?!"

You were a good sounding board for figuring out what things were funny

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, Medic nobel prize there

**Idonian:** it was great XD

**Taylor Beth:** I'm proud of their argument

and the little snippets of stuff between them

**Idonian:** you do a far better scout than me

**Taylor Beth:** it's a talent- I guess...

**Idonian:** they're alive to you

nowadays it's more like a dream

**Taylor Beth:** you should put that in there for chapter notes "Scout is alive!"

**Idonian:** XD

hm

where's a good section...

ah yes

**Taylor Beth:** the argument

**Idonian:** so I went into to write the word "taylorbeth"

**Taylor Beth:** "Taylorbeta", nice

**Idonian:** and ended up writing "taylorbeta"

I'm leaving it XD

**Taylor Beth:** I have no grudges

**Idonian:** good

it's staying

**Taylor Beth:** neat

hopefully the reader knows

**Idonian:** about the taylorbeta?

stick it in The Beta and The Fool XD

**Taylor Beth:** I will

I have no idea where to copy from, so I started from "You do a far better Scout than me"

**Idonian:** hm

can't forget the phoenix part

bloody cat...

**Taylor Beth:** .....I'll just copy the whole thing

**Idonian:** XD


	8. An Interlude In Purple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was TaylorBeth's idea for parts of the chapter A Bit of Dry Argument There. I was having a little bit of trouble finding the inspiration/getting my ass in gear and didn’t know how to start the chapter, so she decided to help out (upon permission of course). They didn’t intend for this to be the start of the chapter, and was just giving off ideas on the middle-ish part of it. Like, after Miss Pauling found a hover car and they started driving towards the bar (spoilers if you haven’t read the story).  
> It’s very incomplete and there will be errors since it’s just a plan- but this is just a look on, basically, how her mind works when she has enough inspiration.
> 
> Originally, she wrote the paragraph in purple text color (hence the name), but I had to change it because sites didn’t allow for different colored fonts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insert music: Team Fortress 2 - This Is War GMV by 30 Second to Mars: Digital Chord 
> 
> This is written in the style that I write rough drafts in.

Scout: “Hey, Miss Pauling, are we there yet?” Scout asks, poking his head out to look at Miss Pauling.

MP: *Sighs heavily* “Yes, Scout, we’re almost there. Just another mile.”

Scout: “Finally, it’s getting borin’ back here.” *Scout retreats back in the van*

*Medic chuckles amusingly in the passenger seat* “You’ll get used to it.”

MP: “Once this mission is over, I’ll go back to doing normal assignments.” She sighed, letting her shoulders slump a little. Of course, her definition of normal to another person varies dramatically, but she chose not to dwell on that.

Medic: “I don’t zhink zhat nozhing vill be normal anymore vhen zhis mission is finished. Call it a gut feeling if you vill.” *Shrugs casually*

MP: “In a way, I hope you’re wrong, Medic.” She chances a glance at him before turning back to the road.

Medic: “Even zhe greatest scientists could be wrong about zhier experiments, but zhey have zhe right to be inspired to be proven right in zheir efforts.” *Trying to make a point.*

Mp: “Sure, Medic.” *Just for sake of argument, though not really understanding it.*

Medic: “Let’s just say if I vasn’t inspired, zhe medigun vouldn’t be here. Und neizher vould I.”

Okay, she had to give him that, his feats, although gruesome, bought the Administrator’s attention. He developed the medigun and solution just because of a freak accident. BLU Spy suffered that day, but it was a worthy sacrifice. Later, he built a crude device and stuck it to Heavy’s new heart. She would know, for she was there. 

The device was able to make the owner invincible for a few seconds with the influence of the healing solution. The Ubercharge was invented in short. All because of an accident and “inspiration” as he calls it. If she was in her right mind, she would have called it madness instead.  

MP: “We’re here.” She finally said after a long silence.

Miss Pauling stood in front of a large building, warm light filtering through the windows and loud drunken laughter penetrating the air. Inhaling, she turned to face the waiting men.

MP: “Alright, you all know what to do right? Medic and Scout, you stay with the van. Medic, I want you behind the wheel.”

Scout: “Aw, c’mon, why does he get to drive? I bet I can drive better than him, we will go faster too.”

Medic: “Since vhen did you learn how to drive?” *Questions with a quirked brow*

Scout: “Hey! I can drive on the fly!” *Pointing an admonishing finger at Medic*

Medic: “Zhe only zhing flying vill be us vhen ve crash.” *Huffed, absent mindedly pushing Scout’s finger away from him*

Scout: “You wanna bet? C’mon old man!” 

Mp: “Enough!” *The two men turned to look at MP* “Scout, I’m sorry, but I don’t trust you behind a wheel right now.” 

*Scout’s jaw drops* “But- I- But-” 

Medic: *leans towards Scout’s ear* “Need medical attention?” *Asks Scout softly with a mischievous smile, a glint in his spectacles*

Scout: *snapped* “You shut the hell up!” *backs away from him* 

*Medic guffaws* “I’m kidding, herr Scout. Zhis isn’t exactly a place to experiment on you anyvay.” *waves his hand to brush the subject off*

Scout: “Keep talkin’ old man, or you’re going to be losin’ some teeth here in a minute!” *threatens* 

Medic: *his guffaw turning into chuckles* “I’m not  _ zhat _ old!” *Says as he and Scout make their way to the van and enter, closing the doors behind them*

With a sigh, Miss Pauling turns to the other mercenaries who were watching with mild interest.

MP: Okay, we’ll go in together, all you have to do is distract the occupants while I talk with Robinson. Your band name is The Rock.”

Spy: “‘The Rock’, so boring and unbearably cliche, honestly, couldn’t you have picked a better name to situate us?”

MP: “I didn’t have the time to make up something creative.” *Spat* “Now, no shenanigans while we’re in there. Not until I give the word at least.”

Demo: “Aw, now you’re just no fun. *Pouting*

MP: “I mean it, we’re here to talk, you can have your fun afterwards.” She promised.

Spy: “Any song you would like for us to play then?” 

MP: “Any song is fine as long as you can play it. Just, don’t get kicked out too soon, please?”

Spy: “Oui, we’ll do our best. But, I fear, it is Soldier and Demoman you have to worry about.”

Pyro waved cheerfully at Miss Pauling. “And Pyro if they’re in reach of any… flammables.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the finished chapter to see what this became. This section essentially jumpstarted the rest of the story.


	9. Comments Are The Ice Cream On My Brownie

**Idonian:** boop

sup

**Taylor Beth:** New computer... still getting used to the mechanics.

**Idonian:** new?

**Taylor Beth:** YUP!!! I have a laptop! My OWN! MINE!

I don't have to share anymore!

**Idonian:** that's great :)

is that a birthday present?

**Taylor Beth:** Yup

**Idonian:** that's good :)

what kind?

**Taylor Beth:** It's newish- well, it was owned by a friend of my dads

Toshiba

**Idonian:** good enough

**Taylor Beth:** I can't download Chrome for some reason, I think it has to do with a firewall the guy installed

**Idonian:** hm

that's not good

you might have to do some googling in that regard

**Taylor Beth:** Youtube doesn't work- so I'm listening to music on my kindle

**Idonian:** it might prevent downloads of any sort

I didn't know kindles did music

I just have your basic 8 year old nook

**Taylor Beth:** They're going to do a "refresh" thing where it takes the computer back to the beginning

I'm listening to Youtube on my Kindle

**Idonian:** yeah that's what I mean

I didn't know kindle did that

my nook just about lets me read books

but that's all I really need one for

my bookshelf is full as it is

**Taylor Beth:** I think it depends on whether or not you download chrome

**Idonian:** which I can't :P

**Taylor Beth:** I read your chapter notes for An Apple a Day- I laughed

I really didn't expect you to put a quote of mine in there

**Idonian:** well it struck me just how much it fit

given a comment on fanfiction I believe

"Regarding the chapter... I expected Sniper to be hurt at some point, everybody loves to hurt the Sniper, but no so early in the plot XD Shit, I imagined him being hit by the car in slow-motion and I felt paainfuuul."

chapter 5, when he gets hit

**Taylor Beth:** Yeah, I read that comment

**Idonian:** about how everybody loves to hurt the sniper

**Taylor Beth:** which is true

**Idonian:** and your words were very profound

I'm glad that you're enjoying my massive amount of chapter notes XD

**Taylor Beth:** Deviant art has most of the comments, I think- there's a guy commenting on all of your chapters

**Idonian:** yeah, Itinerant

I met Itinerant on a well written webcomic called Handplates. Really emotionally wringing. In any case they liked the way I wrote reviews of art, and asked me to do a walk of their gallery

**Taylor Beth:** That's really cool...

**Idonian:** so I guess that they're doing it back

Taylor Beth: I wish I was that lucky... 

\-----------------------------------------

 

[Upon changing spoilers into random sounds, as seen earlier]

 

**Taylor Beth:** lol

**Idonian:** no regrets

**Taylor Beth:** Guess I'll have to change the warning

**Idonian:** is it funny?

is it worth keeping?

**Taylor Beth:** I'm dyin

Oh yeah

Aw man, I thought I gave you unlimited access to it.. darn

**Idonian:** you did

I'm just turning them into suggestions

so you can have input

it's a mad lib

**Taylor Beth:** Since you're posting it, if there are questions about LOS, can you answer them neutrally? Like you don't know or a maybe?

Idonian: yes

I love being vague and unhelpful

**Taylor Beth:** lol "splashed", yeah, that'll throw them off

**Idonian:** I have decided that this is a mad lib

**Taylor Beth:** I just saw "read Terry Pratchett" XD

**Idonian:** mhm

not sorry

**Taylor Beth:** In one of them, put "Idonian's the best" or "Taylor Beta is the best"

or both

"TAYLORBETA NOT TAYLORBETH" HAHAHAHA XD

This chat is definitely going into this series

**Idonian:** this is what happens when my brain isn't working

this is like 'late night' brand me

**Taylor Beth:** amen

Oh, how was the hiking?

**Idonian:** laid out in the sun and applied mayonnaise to the forehead

HEAD ON: APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD

**Taylor Beth:** lol

why?

**Idonian:** you never heard that ad?

my god did you miss out

**Taylor Beth:** probably not

**Idonian:** it was on tv

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, I don't have tv

**Idonian:** it was like this gluestick thing that we never really learned what it could do because they would probably get sued for falsehood

but it just kept repeating HEAD ON: APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD

3 times or so

while people lifted this thing to the forehead

it said where you could find it in stores

and then it was over

**Taylor Beth:** is it about fifteen seconds long?

**Idonian:** yep

16 seconds

**Taylor Beth:** I wonder if people made a remix of it

**Idonian:** probably

**Taylor Beth:** these days, I wouldn't be surprised if people did

**Idonian:** I saw a 10 hour version when I looked it up

**Taylor Beth:** lol


	10. Editing This Document

\--------------------------------------------

**Idonian:** "WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON CAN SOMEONE TELL ME PLEASE?"

*belts out song lyrics

*brother gets annoyed

*dog goes mental

*the world is ending

**Taylor Beth:** Lol

That sounds familiar...

**Idonian:** the song or scenario

**Taylor Beth:** The sentence

the song

\-------------------------------------------

 

**Taylor Beth:** ooooooh, nearing the pun! hehehehe

That'll be on the face of internet forever

**Idonian:** yeah

anonymously

**Taylor Beth:** Do you want to leave that part in there?

**Idonian:** yes

just sometimes... damn Idonian

**Taylor Beth:** heh, I understand

haha, lol

**Idonian:** hey hey, found it

**Taylor Beth:** yep

I'm a dummkopf

**Idonian:** nah

**Taylor Beth:** I am

**Idonian:** nah

**Taylor Beth:** am

**Idonian:** nah

**Taylor Beth:** am

**Idonian:** nah

**Taylor Beth:** am

**Idonian:** nah

**Taylor Beth:** am

**Idonian:** nah

**Taylor Beth:** am *snickers*

**Idonian:** nah

I be the adult here, so I say nah

*shaking with laughter*

**Taylor Beth:** You're miles away from me- your word doesn't mean anything if you can't do anything

**Idonian:** typical teenage response

not stupid

**Taylor Beth:** typical "adult" response

*crosses arms*

**Idonian:** really? Oh my god.

(Day 326 since I infiltrated the organization: they still have no recognized me as an outsider...)

Taylor Beth: hehe

**Idonian:** (I am almost curious what would happen if I started blowing bubbles)

**Taylor Beth:** bubbles or bombs?

**Idonian:** bubbles

what the hell

not every secret agent blows stuff up

**Taylor Beth:** actually, they all do

**Idonian:** nah

if they did we'd never get anything done

**Taylor Beth:** HAHAHAHA. Ain't that the truth

**Idonian:** on a side note, have you ever looked into all the weird plots the government thought up to kill world leaders?

like fidel castro

they sent in a prostitute to kill him once. She got seduced by him and defected

**Taylor Beth:** nah, I'm not interested in that kind of stuff

**Idonian:** and they tried to put estrogen hormones on hitler's food so his mustache would fall off

**Taylor Beth:** I don't believe that

**Idonian:** or Operation Aunt Jemima, that's a good one. Smuggled explosives into china during WW2, disguised as pancake mix

True story, british spies tried to make hitler a fraulein

**Taylor Beth:** We're going to have the fans complaining "DO SOMETHING ALREADY" XD

**Idonian:** where?

**Taylor Beth:** idk, I guess when we fully release the story and side story

**Idonian:** I'm thinking about releasing this just before the end of sandstorm


	11. Motivation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [In regards to taylorbeta writing An Interlude In Purple]

 

 

**Idonian:** it's the truth

I was hemming and hawing and you jumped in and I was all like sht I gotta move now

**Taylor Beth:** *can't talk, I'm dead* bleh

lol

**Idonian:** really good way to prod me to move

**Taylor Beth:** I was just giving you a little push and a little fuel

Every author needs it sometimes

**Idonian:** yeah

'oh sht if I don't move she'll end up writing half the chapter'

**Taylor Beth:** Nah, I wouldn't have gone that far

**Idonian:** I was afraid I'd come on and see you write something amazing and totally off in left field of what I originally planned

^ control freak XD

**Taylor Beth:** Like I said, I'm just a beta, I'm not meant to take over a story

**Idonian:** mhm XD

but it was funny and too well written for me to ignore

**Taylor Beth:** but a little fuel wouldn't hurt to help the writer themselves

**Idonian:** mhm

I gotta ask

what's your next step in the story?

**Taylor Beth:** My next step? I'm going to shoot the arrow at my target. I know where to go, I just need to write it

**Idonian:** alright then

as your beta I figured I'd ask

**Taylor Beth:** I backtrack a lot, if a chapter isn't good, I'll lose of time until I figure out how to fix it

That's another flaw

**Idonian:** flaw?

no

I do that all the time

that's why I didn't want to make an outline

because I did most of my backtracking while scrolling down to the bottom

but as page 70 rolled around I realized that it might be helpful

**Taylor Beth:** It's the reason why the intro (all of the intro) is taking so long to write

It's like an OCD in writing

**Idonian:** mhm

one word here, a phrase there

but something decent can come of it

**Taylor Beth:** And now I'm the fool. Thanks for the encouragement.

and the wise words

**Idonian:** of course. And you're not a fool unless you're goofing off like me

you were doing your job as beta, answering and asking questions a lot, and I was off saying things like 'I just had to research answering machines to make sure he could leave a message after the beep'

or "it's a bit like the worst game of Where's Waldo ever"

"I'd probably break the sound barrier running to F-thatville"

XD

**Taylor Beth:** :)

**Idonian:** sooner or later young grasshopper, your brain will burn out so bad that you can be as speculative as me

 

Idonian has left.


	12. Planning Scout's Demise (Behind the scenes of Shoot Through Like A Bondi Train)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had already written Shoot Through Like A Bondi Train, but when I was going back through and adding little touches/injuries Taylorbeta decided that Scout needed more pain.

**Idonian:** so I'm thinking

during the chase, someone needs to be injured at least a little

as it sits they're all relatively intact

**Taylor Beth:** that's what I said

**Idonian:** despite having exploded a lot of cars on the way

they're a little bloody

but I think we need to go farther

**Taylor Beth:** what are you suggesting?

**Idonian:** I dunno

**Taylor Beth:** there was a lot of glass

**Idonian:** .... you got a point

so we need a shower of glass to rip past

**Taylor Beth:** maybe a lucky shot?

there was a lot of gunfire

nothing serious, but enough to get something bleeding- the shot I mean

**Idonian:** and we need a shot so that medic can say something like "stop bleeding you dummkopfs"

hm

something funny

**Taylor Beth:** cheeky

hm...

don't forget, they are in a moving van- they could get jostled pretty badly

**Idonian:** that's a given, with all of the yells

hm

I can flesh this out a bit

**Taylor Beth:** remember, some of the characters were nearly leaning out of windows too

maybe Scout accidentally leaned on the door handle?

**Idonian:** most cars aren't like house door handles, I dunno

**Taylor Beth:** but still, in a moving car, a grip is as good as any

maybe he accidentally used it as a grip before noticing when Medic was making a sharp turn?

the movement would force the door handle open and Scout will fly out but manage a grip on the door

**Idonian:** I'm just thinking that'd cause a lot more problems, like more than a minor distraction

**Taylor Beth:** throwing out suggestions, besides, Scout needs to be hurt more

**Idonian:** what's this you got against him? XD

**Taylor Beth:** hey, you like hurting Sniper! So don't complain!

at least give him a good scare

**Idonian:** Sniper's easy to hurt. I just wanted to know why you singled out the guy you're best at writing XD

**Taylor Beth:** because I sense a MP and Scout moment

**Idonian:** oh my god

do you ship?

She's in the back, if anyone were to haul the knucklehead in, it might be medic

**Taylor Beth:** NO! I mean have MP save him and Scout would be stunned or something

**Idonian:** my god that was defensive. XD If it makes you feel better, I do ship them

**Taylor Beth:** Medic's at the wheel, if he was to grab Scout and hold the wheel, it'll be catastrophic

haven't you heard about highway safety?

and MP's not completely in the back

she has to direct Medic too in moments

**Idonian:** hm 

does scout wear a belt?

**Taylor Beth:** yes, last I checked

**Idonian:** yes he does

**Taylor Beth:** lol, what if he could say something like "Hey, at least I saved my hat!"

**Idonian:** but he's stunned

**Taylor Beth:** at MP saving him

he's shocked really

you know those dumbfound moments where the character is like "You... saved me." but with Scout, I'd imagine him saying "I knew you would save me."

**Idonian:**  "Idiot"

**Taylor Beth:** here's a better option: "You... saved me. I mean, I knew you would. See? We're made for each other."

for Scout's dialogue

**Idonian:** *dumps him* "Idiot"

yeah, this is coming together nicely

**Taylor Beth:**  I don't think MP is that forceful

or that snotty

**Idonian:** hm, well she's on adrenaline

maybe change it to "really"

I'd personally mutter idiot under my breath, in her shoes

**Taylor Beth:** question: how does Scout keep ahold of the door while MP tries to grab him? Is he holding the side of the door with one hand as he reaches for her?

and she pulls him in

**Idonian:** probably holding onto the door with one hand

and she grabs his shirt

**Taylor Beth:** she's very strong

**Idonian:** I wonder if the panic handle can bear the weight of a full human

**Taylor Beth:** Scout's light, but the panic handle is usually screwed to the ceiling

**Idonian:** looking it up a bit

**Taylor Beth:** and it'd have to be a REALLY lucky shot if he reached in time to grab it as he was falling

**Idonian:** because that would be funny

**Taylor Beth:** I think it would be better if he grabbed the door's panic handle or whatever you call it

maybe have his arm propped against the seat

**Taylor Beth:** ok

as I was saying, wouldn't he be screaming for help?

**Idonian:** I had him just pretty much screaming

**Taylor Beth:** ok, just asking

**Idonian:** do you think he'd have time to scream for mp in particular?

hm

**Taylor Beth:** no not really

any help would have be appreciated

even from Medic

**Idonian:** I thought for a minute he could scream for medic

out of habit

**Taylor Beth:** personally, I wouldn't care who got me out as long as SOMEBODY got me out

Medic is the closest, it is possible

**Idonian:** but that kind of undermines the 'I knew you would save me' for pauling

**Taylor Beth:** yeah, you could either just have him screaming for help or just screaming

lol, still using my nickname to my nickname

**Idonian:** not sorry

what did you expect? XD

**Taylor Beth:** XD

**Idonian:** lemme see... next place

ok... who to hurt next

**Taylor Beth:** Spy needs attention

**Idonian:** he already had his face smashed into the door

**Taylor Beth:** or perhaps Soldier

**Idonian:** yeah

**Taylor Beth:** he could have a new scar from a piece of glass

**Idonian:** I'm adding in injuries

just as I'm rereading things I'm checking little details

things that need to be wrapped up, things I forgot

**Taylor Beth:**  which reminds me, I'll have to be heading over to my story soon

**Idonian:** ok

**Taylor Beth:** I'll hang around in case you need anything

**Idonian:** let me know if you need anything

I think I'll be ok

**Taylor Beth:** lol

**Idonian:** but later on I need to apply to jobs

pm me if you need anything, if you can't find me

**Taylor Beth:** okay, oh and, by the way, jinx, you owe me a soda

**Idonian:** next time I have one, I'll think of you  >:D

**Taylor Beth:** or just magically gravitate a soda through the screen XD

Sprite please!

**Idonian:** I don't actually have soda in the house, but I'll tell the boyfriend

**Taylor Beth:** (that's why magic's so good) XD


	13. The Kingdom of the North Ain't So Bad

**Idonian:** alright

I was looking at some of TF2's weirder parts of the timeline

in 1921 Franklin Roosevelt apparently loses both legs rocket jumping, and as a result he perfects the modern staircase.

**Taylor Beth:** lol

in a world where presidents were mercs XD

**Idonian:** mhm

**Taylor Beth:** storm picking up speed, wind is blowing

**Idonian:** mann co made a 'ro-bot' in 1900

that's cool

I like watching storms

**Taylor Beth:** leaves are flying everywhere- please, be anything but a tornado

**Idonian:** oh yeah that would be bad

we don't get those

well we got one like 8 years ago

but other than that I think the last one was 60 years ago

**Taylor Beth:** tornadoes are common in weather suitable for it- welcome to ( >my lair<)

**Idonian:** mhm

more deadly than midwest ones

because of the abundance of trees and the fact that weather patterns push them over at night

**Taylor Beth:** at least it's not hailing- that's the first sign (other than the cloud structure) that a tornado is coming

**Idonian** : be safe.

**Taylor Beth:** but this seems to be just a thunderstorm, but I'll keep an eye out

**Idonian** : if it gets bad you get somewhere safe

**Taylor Beth:** don't worry, there's a storm shelter at the school (which is a few blocks away)

no way I'm going out there

**Idonian:** you don't have a basement?

**Taylor Beth:** nope

**Idonian:** the hell?

what kind of house doesn't have a basement?

**Taylor Beth:** it's common actually

**Idonian:** every house in [the kingdom of the North] has one

maybe it's the high water table

I hear that some cemeteries down there bury coffins in mounds, so that they don't float away during floods

**Taylor Beth:** we don't have an underground tornado shelter near our house either

**Idonian:** hm

I guess the bathroom then

it's got pipes

**Taylor Beth:** and a window- nope

the BEST we could if we can't travel to the storm shelter is wait in the hallway- but this house is so shoddy, I doubt it's good protection

**Idonian:** have you ever considered moving? like, to a place without tornadoes

I heard that [the Kingdom of the North] is a nice place

pretty leaves and all that

**Taylor Beth:** nope, even if we could, I don't want to. I love my school

after my last school, I'm happy to stay here

**Idonian:** I mean when you're an adult

**Taylor Beth:** maybe, but eventually, I'd want to return home

**Idonian:** that's understandable

just... ugh

**Taylor Beth:** it's fine

you can't run from every natural disaster

**Idonian:** I know

just there's fewer where I live


	14. In Regards To Pets

**Taylor Beth:** Toby (a black Labrador mix) isn't that bad. I think without Chiron (basset hound) in the picture, he might like the cats and they could get along

**Idonian:** I love dogs

although my boyfriend has 7 cats so I'm getting used to them

**Taylor Beth:** he's getting quite old and he has a white star in the middle of his chest

that stands out against the black fur

**Idonian:** :)

my dog's a brown pointer; looks like a brown lab

he's a needy, anxious, pain in the butt

**Taylor Beth:** Ponce and Linnerd are my two cats, they are sisters and were rescued

**Idonian:** from a shelter?

**Taylor Beth:** no, they were from the street

**Idonian:** ah

you're lucky they weren't pregnant

that's how [the bf’s] family ended up with 33

**Taylor Beth:** The lunch ladies put them in a box and fed them some food, we picked them up afterwards

they were young, almost like kittens, but no fuzz

**Idonian:** that's so cute

**Taylor Beth:** Ponce has more of a tiger stripe pattern on her with light brown fur with hints of yellow/tan

she's the quieter of the two though, when she wants, she can be so annoying with her meows

**Idonian:** and you know that they are sisters?

**Taylor Beth:** yes, because they almost look IDENTICAL

**Idonian:** all of ( >bf<)'s cats looked the same when I first met them

except peter; he's fat and bigger than a small dog

**Taylor Beth:** Linnerd is more of a calico but not as distinct, she has yellow, brown, and black splotches across her body

the tiger stripes aren't as distinct, but they're there

**Idonian:** did you know that only female cats are pure calico?

**Taylor Beth:** no I didn't

**Idonian:** it has to do with how the x chromosomes are distributed

**Taylor Beth:** I think I can send you a picture of them, but with the lighting of my room, I don't know

**……………….**

 

**Idonian:** I'll be back in probably 20

watering the garden

**Taylor Beth:** ok, working on the camera

**Idonian:** oh my god she is precious

**Taylor Beth:** she's annoyed

**Idonian:** that's ok

she's cute

**Taylor Beth:** more coming your way

**Idonian:** :D

**Taylor Beth:** I caught them at a cute moment

Linnerd is the loudest- I'll wake up to Linnerd meowing in the middle of the night. The worst alarm clock ever

and there's no snooze!

**Idonian:** sure there is

it's called putting the cat out

**Taylor Beth:** can't

**Idonian:** because of the dogs?

**Taylor Beth:** they're stuck in my room unless the dogs are outside, and even then, someone needs to watch them because their too curious for their own good

**Idonian:** a spray bottle then?

**Taylor Beth** : don't have one unless it’s filled with flea repellent or something else

**Idonian:** hm.

my boyfriend trained his little kitty by blowing in her face when she did something bad

**Taylor Beth:** throwing a shoe at her doesn't work either

it's 1:00 in the frickin' morning! You expect me to crawl out of bed to blow in her face?

**Idonian:** XD

I was typing up chapter notes. Came back the chat to see that, and I can't stop laughing

fantastic mental picture

**Taylor Beth:** glad you're amused *crosses arms*

**Idonian:** I am :P

oh c'mon, I make you laugh too

**Taylor Beth:** *smirks* alright, you got me there

but I make you laugh more, mind you

**Idonian:** do you?

makes sense

I'm not really 'funny' in the traditional sense

**Taylor Beth:** *sighs*

it's an unknown gift   (making people laugh)

**Idonian:** well you have some gems

**Taylor Beth:** as you do

 


	15. In Which The Beta Thinks Way Too Highly Of Me

**Taylor Beth:** speaking of artists, have you found one to make a cover for your book?

**Idonian:** what?

I haven't asked anyone

I was shocked that someone would find one of my stories worth illustrating [The Devil Came Down to Teufort]

as a side note, I did have it printed out to hang in my room

if someone decides to make fanart of it, then I will use it

but I feel uncomfortable asking for it

**Taylor Beth:** I was just curious, if I had a stupid art site, I could whip you up something

Actually, I already did, but I couldn't save it

**Idonian:** it's ok :)

**Taylor Beth:** it was a shadowy figure walking amidst a raging sandstorm

**Idonian:** that's cool

I can't draw bodies at all

**Taylor Beth:** I'm still learning, but I can draw a little of the human body

good news, the storm's calmed down a bit

**Idonian:** that's good

I'll be popping out for a while

catch ya later

**Taylor Beth:** okay

see you later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find the sweet cover she made here: (http://taylorbeth.deviantart.com/art/Sandstorm-By-Idonian-689919252)   
> She posted this on fanfiction as well: (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12554913/1/The-Beta-and-The-Fool)
> 
> And in her words, _That's it, pretty much, just two friends having a good ol' time while working. *coughs* We met by chance, I left a comment on her other story Devil Came Down to Teufort (I suggest you check it out, it's awesome) and she contacted me via private message to answer me back. To say that I was not surprised would be a lie, and we kept in contact ever since. Ans I had said earlier, I offered my assistance in editing and she accepted. It was like I was being shown the way by a teacher and I was the student, sometimes it was the other way around. Idonian will back me up on that. It was a slow wild ride, luckily, I had the patience, but it was fun all the same._
> 
> That's pretty much it, folks. Just two people who bonded over a shared love of TF2, courtesy of the internet. I was lucky to have such a good beta, and she's a huge part of why Sandstorm got finished. 
> 
> Thanks for stopping by.


End file.
